1. Rolled Oats

Cheap, filling, satisfying, and packed with great nutrients. Rolled oats can be eaten in so many versatile ways; just as is with cinnamon, seeds, and raisins like granola in a bag, or made into oatmeal with all kinds of fixins. Rolled oats are a perfect go-to for any late night snack as well as a breakfast for champions. I recommend buying rolled oats in bulk as opposed to the packaged, flavored packets. That way, you can sweeten with your own dates and you won't be eating any weird added caramel color. Perfect.

2. Dried Fruit

Dried fruits like dates, figs, and raisins not only last forever and are the perfect snack to keep in your bag to hold you over between meals, but they are great sources of antioxidants to keep you from getting sick and potassium, which is important for healthy acid-base balance in the body. Potassium is a short-fall nutrient for the average American, so eating more fruit is recommended! I suggest reading the ingredients before purchasing, though! Watch out for added oils, sugars, and sulfates. Too much of those aren't a good thing and can mess with absorption of nutrients and also add extra calories. If the label on the box of raisins just says “Ingredients: Raisins" then you're good!

3. Ground Flax

Want food to help you focus? Here it is. Fish is pricey and is getting enough of it all over the world is becoming an unsustainable practice. Sprinkling ground flax into salads, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, rice dishes, and honestly, any food item will amp up the antioxidants, fiber, and the important essential omega-3 fatty acids that make up the fatty acids in our brains for good focus and cognition. Whole flax and chia seeds also have these nutrients, but to absorb them it is necessary to let them soak in liquid first for at least 10 minutes. The omegas from flax are best absorbed when ground. Other foods like walnuts, hemp seeds, spirulina, algal oil, and even dark leafy greens have omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential for college students to stay alert and calm with finals and the stress of college life.

4. Cocoa Powder

A necessity for the soul. Chocolate actually does have some beneficial antioxidants. If you are going to splurge, I recommend doing so by adding cocoa powder to your favorite smoothie, homemade rolled-oat granola, or oatmeal-date concoction to add a decadent and satisfying chocolatey flavor. Cocoa powder doesn't have the added sugars, milk fats, and other empty calories that cause excess weight gain and a stomach ache. Cocoa powder is just straight up cocoa and you can control the sweetness. I like it with a few dates and hot water blended with cinnamon and some walnuts to make a hot chocolate. Or, sprinkle ¼ cup with some frozen bananas and almond milk in the blender to make chocolate soft serve. Delicious! Cacao powder or special dark varieties are what I prefer.

Couldn't have survived college without them. What was your healthy college staple? Share this with a friend and add your go-to healthy staple!